Use the car as a GT, not a sports car. Want good control but good ride also. Any opinions? I see Monroe, Gabriel, and AC Delco offer reasonably priced shocks. Anyone use them or have opinions about them? Or another recommendation? Thanks,

 

So you are looking for a Touring shock. IF that is the case then Z51 shock would be a decent upgrade....still a pleasant ride.

 

I would think Z51 shocks would be too stiff? After due diligence, on the net, it seems Monroe makes some good ones for only about $40 each. They're called OESpectrum.

 

Using the Monroe, base AC Delco, etc would be replacing the same shocks he currently has. The Z51 would be the next step up and combined with the FE1 springs would present a smooth ride with slightly better handling.

 

I'm an ex street racer (back country roads, not drag racing) who's mellowed with age. Anyway, I think Corvettes are too large to be proper 'sports cars'--as are most of the competition--Porsche, Ferrari, etc. But they're sensational GT (grand touring) cars. For my normal 7/10 or 8/10 driving habits, I think a GT is the car to have. I think a base FE1 suspension will handle 90% as well as a Z51 or even Z06 Corvette--on the street. I'm not prepared to put up with a rough ride for the 1 percent of the time I will push the limits on the street (anymore......) Yes, the springs and stabilizer bars of the FE1 are softer. But if you put firm shocks on it, it's still going to ride somewhat rough. I just want the handling as it was when the car was new. This past weekend, I was in the country and had a little relapse. I was doing 110 mph (open countryside, good visibility, not unsafe), at one point, and the car was 'floating' a bit. I realized that the stock dampers--even though the car has only 25,000 miles on it--are still 21 years old. I tried to find the original OEM shocks but could not. I think these Monroes may be the closest thing I can find to OEM. But I'm open to other suggestions.

 

If you're replacing shocks that were installed nearly 20 years ago in Kentucky, then an OE replacement shock may feel like an upgrade to you anyway.

 

True enough, but they didn't respond too badly to the fender test! And there's no evidence they've ever leaked. It will be interesting to inspect them once they're removed.

 

The seals around the piston inside are what fails and you won't be able to observe that failure but when you take them off put your weight on them to collapse them. If it's easy and they don't extend themselves back then they were toast.

 

Yeah, very good explanation. It should be a good comparison between old and new.